Phoenix Racing
Janis Eglitis Mal Stoddart Matteo Scala Christopher Hinz Nathan McGregor |first_entry = S1 Austrian GP |races = 77 |wins = 4 |poles = 4 |fastest_laps = 4 |final_entry = S5 British GP }}Phoenix Racing, also known as Blue Flame Motorsports or by its abbreviations PHO and BFM, is a British former GPGSL racing team. It was founded by team owner Philip Oakley. The team entered the GPGSL in Season 1, as one of the founders teams. It stayed in the series until Season 5 when Oakley decided to close the team to focus on being a driver only. Racing History Season 1 Phoenix Racing entered the GPGSL in Season 1 powered by Renault engines and Bridgestones tyres. Team owner Philip Oakley had just sold his prior team, also named Phoenix Racing to Ricardo van Smirren, who renamed the team as Minardi, part of the deal was that the two signed drivers would remain with the team, Oakley was one of them, which meant that when Phoenix Racing actually got another spot in the grid he wouldn't be able to drive for his own team. With this they signed Janis Eglitis and Mal Stoddart as their drivers for the season. The car's pace was pretty solid and both drivers could often fight for the top positions in races, Eglitis won at the Japanese Grand Prix and Stoddart at the Italian Grand Prix, they would get also four other podiums for the team in what was a successful debut season. In the end Phoenix Racing finished with a 3rd place in the constructors championship, only behind Minardi and Double F, meanwhile Oakley won the drivers championship with Minardi becoming the first champion of the series. Season 2 For Season 2 the team kept their drivers, and with the introduction of the test sessions hired rookies Tim van Dijck and Zsigmond Somogyi as their test drivers, Somogyi would left them after the Italian Grand Prix to join Velox. The car was not as good as last season's, and despite a Pole Position and 3rd place by Eglitis at the Belgian Grand Prix, and podiums for Stoddart at the Brazilian Grand Prix and Canadian Grand Prix, the team was struggling, and at the German Grand Prix Eglitis was demoted to a test driver role, with Van Dijck taking over his seat for the rest of the season. At the end, Phoenix Racing finished with the 5th place in the constructors championship with 106 points, more than half scored by Stoddart. Season 3 For Season 3, Phoenix Racing and ItalianEnglish Dynamics decided to swap drivers, with Eglitis going to a test driver role at IED while Zak Tonks taking one of the main seats at Phoenix, alongside Stoddart. Van Dijck returned to being a test driver with rookie Paolo Tafuro as his teammate, although both of them missed the first weekend at the Australian Grand Prix. The season proved to be a disaster, Tonks got a 3rd place at the Brazilian Grand Prix but retired from other four races, finishing inside the points on only four opportunities, Stoddart managed a win at the German Grand Prix but would often be at the end of the field. In the end Phoenix Racing finished the season with the 11th, and last, place in the constructors championship, while team owner Oakley won his second drivers title, this time with Team Shadow. Season 4 Following their worst season ever, the team decided to change some things in Season 4, starting with a new engine supplier in BMW, the lineup also changed with Tonks being dropped and Van Dijck going to True North Racing to be a main driver, Tafuro took over the main seat alongside once again Stoddart. Van Smirren tested for the team for two races but a deal with his own team saw VSM's driver Kevin Schröder going to Phoenix '''on a test driver role, while Van Smirren went the other way, Schröder was patnered by rookie Nathan McGregor. The season went almost the same as the previous one, with the two highlights being the victory of Stoddar at the Italian Grand Prix, his second at the country, and his 3rd place at the Monaco Grand Prix, but the car often lacked speed, and both drivers could not fight for the top positions. '''Phoenix '''finished the season with a not so great 9th place in the constructors championship. Season 5 In Season 5 the team was renamed '''Blue Flame Motorsports and changed their engine supplier once again, now signing with Honda. With the new rules stating that team owners could noot be main racing drivers at the same time, both Stoddart and Tafuro left to start their own teams, Schröder also left and would later rejoin VSM. With those changes McGregor was promoted to a racing seat, and Devil Fox Racing former driver Christopher Hinz was hired as his partner, the season also saw the first time two-time drivers champion Oakley would drive for his own team as a test driver, alongside him was rookie Jack Hunsley. The season proved to be a difficult one once again, the car was slow and not even a single podium was scored, at least it was reliable as often both drivers could score points between the 5th and 12th places. After the United Arab Emirates Grand Prix Oakley left his place as test driver to focus on being healthy to Season 6 when he would resume his racing career at Tafuro GP, this also meant that season was the last one for BFM. In the end they finished in the 8th place in the constructors championship with 89 points. Complete GrandPrixGames Super League Results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap; underlined races indicate most places gained) Gallery S01 PHO.png|Phoenix's season 1 car S02 PHO.png|Phoenix's season 2 car S03 PHO.png|Phoenix's season 3 car S04 PHO.png|Phoenix's season 4 car S05 BFM.png|Blue Flame's season 5 car Category:GPGSL constructors